Centrifugal machine



March 2, 1937. E. MORRISON.

GENTR IFUGAL MACHINE Filed Feb. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 coo can ooo 000 000 000 00 000 000 000 00 Ill 000 000 00 B00 000 00 00 00 6 oorE voo 000 000 000 00 00 000 000 000 00 000 00 0 ooo one 000 ooo one can 000 no 000 00 900 000 000 00 00 00 000 00 00 000 00 000 000 000 000 00 00 900 000 000 00 00 00 000 000 00 00 00 coo coo coo 000 000 000 can 000 m one ooo ooo one can 000 000 000 l o o o ooo ooo 000 000 coo 0 H o u o o ooo ooo coo 000 000 000 one one 4 I D DDI 3 L INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

May-ch 2, 1937. v E, RIS 2,072,377

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE:

Filed Feb. 6, 1934 2 Sheets Sheat 2 2r 7 "I i V all Z8" [1 IL 9 w 3/ 29' 93 Fig. 4

g llllllf Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal machines of the type used in various industries to separate liquids from solids under the influence of centrifugal force.

It is customary in many processes in which centrifugal machines are employed the above stated purpose, to submit the solids after removal of the liquid withwhich they were originally associated to the action of another liquid, usually for the purpose of cleaner lg the same of adherent matter. The second 1i uid admitted to the solids during continued operation of the machine, is subsequently separated from the solids under the same influence which ca the era pulsion of the original liquid, and in t. e processes as heretofore conducted the two liquids were brought together tobe discharged from the machine in intermixed condition. In many industries this intermixture of the two liquids is disadvantageous by interference with steps the process following the centrifugal separation, and it is the primary object of the present invention to provide in a centrifugal separating inachin simple, practical, and efiicient means for segregating the two liquids after their separation from the solids, whereby they may be separately discharged from the machine for individual further treatments.

Further objects of the invention reside in de- '30 tails of construction and in novel arrangements and combinations of parts, as will be fully set forth in the course of the following description.

The invention is of particular value in the sugar industry, in which a mixture of sugar crys- 35 tals and syrup coming from the vacuum crystallizing pans or the like are subjected to centrifugal action for the separation of the one from the other.

It is customary to follow this separating action 40 by a wash under the same influence, for the purpose of freeing the sugar crystals from adhering syrup, and it is a natural consequence that surface parts of the crystals are redi'ssoived in the washing water. The wash water, subsequently 45 separated from the cleaned crystals, is thus delivered in the form of a sugar solution of higher I purity than that of the syrup with which the their sugar contents than to treat in one operation the mother liquid enriched by the intermixture of the sugar-carrying liquid resulting from the wash. The provision of means for preventing the two liquids from intermixing, for their separate discharge from the centrifugal, is thus of more than ordinary value in the industry.

An embodiment of the invention has been illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in the several views of which like parts are separately designated and in which,

Figure .i represents a sectional elevation of a centrifugalseparating machine to which the invention is applied, I

Figure 2 isa horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and sectional elevation showing the reversible elements comprised in the invention, in one of the two positions in which they are placed in the operation of the machine,

Figure iis a similar View showing the elements in the other of said positions,

Figure 5 is a perspective view, partially broken, of one of said elements,

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line t--$ of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a similar section along the line lli of Figure 4-,

Figure 8 is an enlarged section in the plane indicated by the line li-d in Figure l, and

Figure 9 is an enlargedsection taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 2.

Referring further to the drawings, the centrifugal machine, commonly known in the industries in which it is used as a centrifugal, comprises a cylindrical tank 5, and within the same, a foraminous cylindrical basket it suspended for rotation about a vertical axis coincident with that of the tank.

The tank has an annular cover plate 2 1, and the basket has in its bottom a central discharge opening 9, normally closed by a removable cover t. The machine, thus briefly described, is of conventional form and construction and is per so not a part of the present invention.

In this connection, it is observed that the improvements hereinafter described, may under favorable conditions be applied to centrifugal machines already in use.

The separating means embodied in the invention comprises in its preferred form, a cylindrical partition Ii) disposed between the foraminous circumferential wall of the basket and the circumferential wall of the tank in spaced and preferably coaxial relation to both. The partition is composed of a continuous series of lapping shutters or louvers l2 which are individually reversible by rotation about vertical axes.

With this in view the shutters have alined spindles l3 and Hi, the lower ones of. which have pointed extremities for their support in corresponding indentations of a step bearing l5 in the lower portion of the tank, while the upper ones extend through openings in a bearing ring it which may form part of the annular cover plate of the tank. At the upper extremities of the upper spindles are segmental pinions H which mesh with the internal teeth of an annular rack l8 supported for rotation upon the wall of the tank. The latter carries for this purpose a plurality of rollers it upon which the rack rests, and other rollers movable about vertical axes engage the outer surface of. the rack to maintain its concentric position with relation to the tank and prevent its bindin and contact h the ii surface of the circunncticntial wall of the same.

The rael: i has 1 its exterior surface a segmental series of tee aged by a pinion 22 which is mounted to rotate about a verticai axis in suitable bearings 23 exteriorly of the tank. A handle 24 on the shaft of the pinion provides convenient means for its manual rotation.

It is to be understood that the means herein described and shown in the drawings for mounting and reversing the shutter-elements comprised in the separating partition, are merely illustrative of a convenient method of accomplishing the desired result and that other mechanisms may be employed within the scope of the invention. As an example, the pinion 26 may be omitted, in which case the handle for rotation of the rack may be attached directly to the rack and project through a slot in the wall of the tank.

The shutters or louvers l2 are substantially I-shaped in section, each consisting of a plate flanged at its longitudinal edges and attached to the alined spindles l3 and M hereinabove described. In the assembly of the shutters thei flanges 25 and 26 which extend at opposite sides of the plates overlap one another, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, so that the assembly provides a cylindrical partition capable of intercepting the liquid discharged through the meshes of the foraminous wall of the rotating basket in the operation of the machine.

It is a significant fact and an essential of the invention that the reversible shutters provide the inter g partition in either of their ad-- justod puclbl At the lower end of, the shutters are two vergingly slanting lips 21 and 28, which in the operation function to direct matter flowing downwardly along the surfaces of the circular partition into circular launders 29, 36, and 3i at the bottom of the tank.

When the shutters are in the position shown in Figure 4 and 7, the lips 272' at the inner side of the partition 6 ct matter flowing downwardly along said side into the launder while when the position of the shutters is reversed, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6, the matter flowing downwardly along the surface which previously was outermost, flows across the lip 28 into the launder 3B, while the matter still adhering to the surface which formerly was innermost is directed into the launder 29. The two launders 29 and 3| may be connected with a discharge common to both, while the intermediate launder 30 has a separate outlet.

Having thus described the mechanical construction of. the improved centrifugal, its operation and the advantages derived therefrom will be readily understood.

When the shutters of the intercepting partition Ii] are in the position shown in Figures 4 and '7, the liquid thrown outwardly through the foraminations of the rapidly rotating basket impinges upon the inner surface of the partition and flowing downwardly passes along the lips 2'! into the launder 3i.

When subsequently the contents of the basket are subjected to a wash or other treatment by a diflferent liquid, the position of the shutters is reversed, and the liquid thrown outwardly through the perforations of the circumferential wall of the basket is now intercepted by the surface of the partition w lch was previously outermost, and flowing downwardly, it passes along the lips 28 into the launder 39. At the same time, the liquid still adhering to the surface of the partition which was innermost at the beginning of. the operation is delivered along the lip 2'! into the launder 253, which as stated before, is associated with the launder by a common outlet.

r ows that where material in the basket solids two diifel'entiated liquids. suc- Jeiy asscc d erewith, these two liquids, e by cen .ifugal force d retatio of the basket, are

ed from the machine .1 sugar crystals from "een syrup .n which they are deof the crystallizers. 1 the crstals, is viscous, "l by the circular par- "Jardly into one of the At a given at most of the -ted m the solids, .tters i. reversed through ns at the upper water is inthe sugar crysn syrup. The wash water he 0 tals during continued rotatio or "no is i tercepted by the parrated relation to the green syrup.

time of their rotary reversal is uterrnost launder 29.

1. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a rotary basket thereof, of a circular partition spaced from the basket and composed of a series of reversible members having at opposite sides, lips for the discharge of intercepted matters at different distances from the axis of rotation of the'basket, and separated launders to receive matters discharged along said lips.

2. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a rotary basket thereof, of a circular partition spaced from the basket and composed of a series of reversible members having at opposite sides, lips for the discharge of intercepted matters at different distances from the axis of rotation of the basket, and separated launders to receive matters discharged along said lips, two of said launders being at opposite sides 01' a third launder.

3. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a rotary basket thereof, of a circular partition spaced from the basket and composed of a series of reversible members having at opposite sides, lips for the discharge of intercepted matters at different distances from the axis of rotation of the basket, and separated launders to receive matters discharged along said lips, two of said launders being at opposite sides of a third launder and connected for the discharge of their contents into one and the same receptacle.

4. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a rotary basket thereof, of a circular partition spaced from the basket and composed of a series of lapping interlocking members of I-shaped section, reversible by rotation, and means for the delivery of matters intercepted by opposite sides of the members, at separated points of reception.

5. In a centrifugal machine,fthe combination with the rotary basket thereof, of a partition intercepting matter thrown from the basket under centrifugal force, and composed of a series of members simultaneously reversible to oppose either side to the basket, 2. launder to receive matter discharged along one side of the members in one position of the same, and another launder to receive matter discharged along the same side of the members in the other position of the same.

6. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with the rotary basket thereof, of a partition intercepting matter thrown from the basket under centrifugal force, and composed of a series of members simultaneously reversible to oppose either side to the basket, launders to receive matter discharged along the sides of the members, the members being adapted to deliver matter discharged along one of their sides into one of the launders in either position of the members and to deliver matter discharged along their other side into another launder in one position of the members, and into a third launder in the reverse position of the members.

'7. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a rotary basket thereof, of a circular partition intercepting matter thrown from the basket under centrifugal force, and composed of a series of members adapted for simultaneous reversal to oppose either side thereof, to the basket, the members having longitudinal interlocking flanges for their fluid-tight connection in either position.

8. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a rotary basket thereof, of a circular partition intercepting matter thrown from the basket under centrifugal force, and composed of a series of members adapted for simultaneous reversalv to oppose either side thereof, to the basket, the members having flanges at their longitudinal edges, capable of cooperation by interlocking to effect afluid-tight connection between the members in either position thereof, and means for the simultaneous reversal of said members.

9. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a rotary basket thereof, of a circular partition intercepting matter thrown from the basket under centrifugal force, and composed of a series of members adapted for simultaneous reversal to oppose either side thereof, to the basket, the members having at their longitudinal edges oppositely projecting flanges adapted to lap and hook together in either position of the members.

10. In a centrifugal machine, the combination with a basket thereof, of a circumferential partition spaced from the periphery of said basket, the partition being composed of a plurality of pivoted members having transverse flanges along their longitudinal edges with a flange of one 

